WILSONS PROMPT REPLY
TO VATICAN FORESTALLS
PLANS OF THE PACIFISTS
(,Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, D. C, Aug. 2\>. That some ol the
entente nations were nut prepared lor the promptness with
which President Wilson, in behalf of the allies, answered
t'ii pope ' peace offer, became known today when the I’resi
dnt's repk was discussed in diplomatic circles. Some ol the
diplomats voiced the opinion that their governments expected
;!ie President to give more time to the consideration ol such
an important matter.
The general opinion prevails, however, that the early
leplv was made to make a favorable impression upon the
all-Kussian conference now in session in Moscow and also
in forestall am obstructive action by pacifists in this country.
President Wilson's message, outlining the case ol de
mocracv against autocracy an 1 calling upon all tree people
of the world to rally to the standard of liberty, was read
m the Moscow conference yesterday and was greeted with
prolonged cheers The message 'inmded a note ol opti
mism and brought about a better feeling of unity among the
delegates in favor of the continuation of the war.
GERARD MAY NOT BE ALLOWED
TO ACCEPT BRIT H TITLE
(Associated i’ ess)
WASHINGTON, 1). C\, Aug. 30.—Senator Lee S.
Overman ut North Carolina today introduced a bill that
would prevent lion. Janies W. Gerard, former ambassador
to Germany, from accepting the Order of the Hath, recently
conferred upon him by King Cieorge. I'he bill would pre
vent any American citizen from accepting any present, emol
ument of office or title from any king or foreign government
The constitution of the United States contains such a
provision for officer holders, but as Mr. Gerard is now out
of office, it L believed he could accept the titled, under the
constitution, although the title is in recognition for his ser
vice while holding office under the American government.
Senator Overman would have the restrictions apply to
tverv American citizen, in private lile as well as office hold
er'. It probably will not apply to American military men
who are awarded medals of honor in recognition for dis
tinguished conduct by other nations 01 the entente.
BIG SUM TO BE SPENT
IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF DESTROYER FLOTILLA
t, Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, L>. C., Aug. 29.—The President and
officials oi the navy department today arrived at an esti
mate tor the expenditure oi $350,000,000 for the building
oi additional destroyers, which, on their completion, will
give the United .States the largest and strongest fleet oi
destroyers in the world.
It is expected that a large portion of this sum will be]
spent in the construction, purchase or expansion of ship
building plants. The government is obliged to acquire more
shipbuilding room because of the fact that the present de
stroyer building capacity of the country is fully engaged
and will be for some time. The exact number of destroyers
proposed to be constructed on the appropriation of $350,000,
O00 cannot be published for military reasons, but officials de
clare that the new fleet will give the United States army
tlte most powerful flotilla of destroyers in the world.
This type of war craft is the most serviceable, it is
said, in convoying transports and food and ammunition
supply ships across the Atlantic.
INSURANCE FOR SOLDIERS
AND SAILORS BEFORE HOUSE
(Associated l’ress)
W ASHINGTON, D. G\, Aug. 29.—The plan to have
Uncle Sam insure the lives of his lighting men at the front
became a little nearer realization today when the house com
mittee approved the administration’s soldier and sailor in
surance bill. The principal change made in committee was
the reduction of the maximum amount of optional insur
ance from ten to five thousand dollars. Another amend
ment inserted in committee is to the effect that allowances
to widows of men who give their lives to their country will
automatically cease upon their marrying again.
The bill will be reported back to the house tomorrow ,
by the committee and will possibly pass this week.
The administration has decided to adopt the insurance
plan as a means, in part, at least, of avoiding the big [ten
sion claims that arise after each war. The government is
to carry the insurance risk itself up to a certain amount,
and above that the soldier or sailor will be allowed to take
$5,000 more at a very low rate. The bill has met with con
siderable opposition from old line life insurance companies.
GERMANS WORK
PRISONERS IN
RANGE OE GUNS
(Associateil Press)
WASHINGTON, 1). C.
Aug. 30.—The state depart
ment lias received certified
copies of affidavits from Rus
sian soldiers who recently es
caped from German military
prisons. The affidavits de
clare that prisoners of all na
tionalities are being em
ployed by the Germans in
work behind the lines within
gun range.
The statements say that
these prisoners are being used
I in large numbers on all the
I fronts and that the prisoners
l are obliged to do this work or
submit to a starvation diet,
i Working behind the lines in
the range of the guns of their
comrades is the only manner
in which the prisoners can
obtain food enough to sus
tain them, tnc affidavits de
clare.
AMERICA HAS SYSTEM
TO AT SUBMARINES
(Associated Press)
WAS H! * V I* (' Aug. dO. That the American naval forces for some
t months pa>t have been convoying British, French and other allied merchant vessels across
ihe Allantic, was di-clo.-wd today in a statement by the navy department. Secretary Dan
iels. in admitting that such a plan ha> been in effect lor some time, declared that the
record.-' show that the los> of merchantmen convoyed by American war vessels has averaged
I less than half of one per cent, and that not one American naval vessel has been lost
or damaged.
The secretary states that the svstem has been in effect tor some time and that hun
dreds of vessels have been convoyed by American war ships. This statement leads to
a belie! that the patrol svstem was established soon alter the l nited States entered the
war.
Secretary Daniels declared that the American convoy system embraces new and in
gen ion s features and that the surprisingly lou percentage ol losses shows that it is a
complete success. The details of the system are carefully guarded by the navy depart
menl a- a matter of military precaution.
This statement following the announcement at Washington that the United Stir
is planning to build the largest and most powerful fleet of destroyers in the world is
taken to mean that this type of vessel is used in convoying the merchantmen.
Since the submarine campaign began, the man in the street has been wondering
why naval vessels were not used in eonvoving merchant ships. The secretary’s state
ment shows that this government is using every means to protect ships enroute from Am
erica to Europe. _
EARLY VOTE
IS PROMISED
OX M AR BILL
: Associated Pi ess)
M ASHIXOTOX. D. C„
Aug. JO.—The senate today
reached an agreement to take
a final vote on the war tax
hill on or before September
10. The cloture petition filed
yesterday has been withdrawn
and the senate as a whole to
day agreed to bring the bill
to a final decision not later
than September El
A number of important
amendments and changes
have been trade in the bill
sire.' it wa< introduced in the
senate few weeks ago, the
senate having spent much
time and discussion in revis
ing the budget upward to in
crease the levy on war profits
and incomes from that source.
UXCI.E SAM TO
PET CONTRACTS
FOR SHIPYARDS
(Associated Fresa)
MASniXGTON. 1). C.,
Aug. JO.—Contracts for the
construction of three vast
government-owned ship cards
for the construction of fabri
cated steel merchant vessels,
were completed by the United
States emergence fleet corpo
ration tonight and will be
signed tomorrow. At the
same time, the corporation
will sign contracts for the
construction of a fleet of two
hundred merchant ships of
standard design, in these
cards.
lwim
heaves eor coast
Two outgoing Sheldon line auto
mobiles, driven by Scanlon and Bur
gess, will leave Fairbanks at an
early hour this morning with the
party of Alaskan Engineering com
mission men headed by Chairman
William C. Edes. Another passen
ger will be Territorial Treasurer and
Secretary of the Territorial Banking
Board W. G. Smith, who is returning
to his headquarters at Juneau after
paying a business visit to Fairbanks.
Included in the Edes party are A.
Christensen, chief of the land and
industrial department of the com
mission: W. J. Foglestrom, chief
bridge engineer, and C. H. Mason,
Chairman Edes' seeietary. A man
named Fels will also be an outgoing
passenger for Chitina.
Chairman Edes states that he plans
to go direct to his headquarters at
Seward and will then go to Anchor
age for a time. It is probable that
he will spend the greater part of
the winter in Washington, D. look
ing after the interests of the com
mission.
FF.MAi.K shf:f:f
CAN’T BK SHOT
In orders recently received from
the department of agriculture, flame
Warden R. S. McDonald is advised
of tlie recent enactment of laws pro
hibiting the killing of female moun
tain sheep or lambs on the Kenai
pen isula and in that pari of Alaska
no .h of latitude sixtv degrees and
west of longitude 141 degre -s, until
August 1, 1919. The law went into
i ll *ct on the first of the present
month. Whether or not it has any
thing to do with the ?ame law re
cently introduced by Delegate Chan.
Salzer is not known here, but Mr.
McDonald states that be will en
force it to the letter until otherwise
officially notified not to h> so.
WHEAT PRICE
1$ FIXED AT
$2.20 A BUSHED
(AsaopiHleil
WASHINGTON, D. C„
Aug. 30.—After several days
jot debate, the federal price
j fixing committee today decid
j ed upon a price of $2.20 a
| bushel for 1917, number one
northern shipping wheat. This
is the maximum market price,
and quotations in excess of
j that amount will lie contrary
to law.
President Wilson today
j gave official approval to the
I figure.
!tO CONTROL MARKET.
WASHINGTON, 1). C..
Aug. 30.—On the basis of
j the commission’s wheat price,
fixed today at $2.20 a bushel,
j the national food administra
l tion tonight worked out dif
ferentials for various grades
and classes and for various
terminals. Though the price
I is fixed on government pur
j chases only, the food admin
istration, through' its wheat
‘corporation, expects easilv to
! control the wheat market of
; the country.
TEACHER IS
ON TRIAL FOR
' WIFE MURDER
(Associated mess)
SEWARI), Aug. 2U.—The trial ot
E. E. McLean, the government teach
er at Nushagak, charged with the
murder of his native wife, began
here today. The first witness called
was the small son of the defendant,
who declared that McLean beat his
native wife and then threw a lighted
lamp at her. The boy says his
mother's death was due to burns
j from the exploding lamp and from
the injuries inflicted by his father.
The defense, in its opening state
ment, declared that the woman’s
death was due to the accidental ex
plosion of a lamp. The boy testi
fied that his father told him to tell
the accident story if questioned by
j the court.
The trial filled the court room
| with spectators. Night sessions will
be held in hopes of ending the trial
so the witnesses can return to their
■ homes on Monday on the steamer
j Santa Ana.
FAIR PICKETS
CONDEMNED BY
THEIR SISTERS
; Associated l’ress)
SARATOGA SPRINGS,
N. Y., Aug. 30.—The state
woman’s suffrage party, in
convention here today, passed
ja resolution condemning in
■the strongest terms the picket
ing of the White House bv
women who declare they are
workers tor suffrage. The
resolution urges the press and
public of the country to dis
criminate between the small
group of W hite House pick
eted and the great body of
loyal women who make up
the rank and file of the wo
men’s suffrage party.
The resolution declares
l that the action of the pickets
has brought reproach upon
the cause and has held the or
ganization up as unpatriotic.
This is placing suffragettes
in the wrong light, so the re
port declares.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Craig are re
cent arrivals in Fairbanks from
Chatanika.
BIG BRITISH
SHIP IS SUNK.
BY SUBMARINE
iAssociated Frees)
AN ATLANTIC PORT,
Aug. 30.—Word was brought
to this port this afternoon by
an incoming steamer to the
effect that the 7,000-ton Brit
ish steamship Verdi had been
sent to the bottom somewhere
| in the Atlantic with a loss |
| of six members of the crew. |
The Verdi was one of the
largest vessels of the British
merchant marine, and what
use she has been employed in
since the beginning ol the
war is not disclosed.
The captain of the incom
ing liner does not bring posi-!
live proof, but brings infor
mation indicating that the big I
vessel was probably sunk.
BALE PLAYERS
ARE BANQUETED
AT THE ARCADE j
As guests of the management of j
the Arcade Cafe, the members of \
the Fairbanks baseball team were |
royally banqueted at the restaurant j
last night with a sumptuous seven- 1
course dinner, starting at 8 o’clock i
I and ending something more than
j two hours later. Covers were laid
1 for eighteen, but one of the expected
| guests was unavoidably detained at j
the last moment, consequently twelve I
i ball players and five others gathered i
| around the t'esUve board,
j The banquet was evidence oi the j
; good fellowship that prevails among
| the members of the ball team Then* j
; were no lengthy speeches, but, on j
j account of the fact that the end of j
I the season is drawing near, but two j
1 more games remaining to be played, !
| Captain Frank I’. Wood and Manager I
: Ben F. Sherman of fhe ball team j
took occasion to thank the players |
for fhe good work they had done,
J tin park commission for fhe spirit
exhibited in boosting for the ball
j games and in keeping the grt unds
in good condition, the members of
the press for the advertising that
baseball has received at the hands
I of the newspapers, and last, but by
| no means least, thanking Mr. Wil
j
! liams for the spirit his concern had
I exhibited in banqueting the members
j of the team.
j Other baseball talk was also rife
j about the table, many incidents of
j oldtime baseball days being brought
| up. Games this year and last were
! also talked over, as were the two
| games which will end the season,
i which are coming up with Nenana
! next Sunday and Monday.
I Those present at the banquet were
Bert Mattson, Charles Fowler, Chris
t'achon, Tom Stanford, J. B. Woody,
Roy Mattson, Johnny Bidwell, Nor
man Koon, Wallace Cathcart, Eddie
j Stroecker, John E. Pegues, Captain
Frank Wood and Manager Ben Sher
! man, City Councilman E. H. Mack,
j representing the park commission;
Arthur Williams, representing the
' management of the Arcade, with
I Edward G. Morrissey and Stanley
R. Hess representing the press.
COMING NORTH.
SEATTLE, Aug. 27.—The steamship
| Northwestern sailed at 9 o'clock this
j morning for Alaska points. Mrs.
August Hess was a passenger for
| Fairbanks. The steamship Spokane
j sailed at 10 o'clock Sunday mom
j ing. Her Fairbanks passengers were
J Mrs. L. Bartlett and Edward Bart
lett.
S. H. Millwee, the attorney, is
making a trip to Nenana on business
i
PEACE CONVENTION HAS
HARD TIME TO GET PLACE
TO HOLD ITS GATHERING
(Associated Press)
Si. PALL, Aug. 30. l ive members ol the People's
1 eace Council who went to Hudson, Wisconsin, today to
arrange lor a peace convention at that place, were seized
by angry citizens and placed on a truck, hollowed bv a
jeering mob, the peacers were escorted to the depot, where
they were placed on board a train bound tor St. Paul.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn, Aug. 30. Alter Governor J
A. A. Burnquist, oi Minnesota, had refused permission for
that body to hold its convention in this state, officers of the
People’s Council ol America announced tonight that their
forthcoming national peace convention will be held in Hud
son, W isconsin.
The leaders of the organization are said to have ob
tained permission from the town ol Hudson and trom state
officials of W isconsin to hold the meeting.
It has been authoritatively learned tonight, however,
that Governor K. L. Phillips will stop the convention and
place its leaders under arrest ii seditious or traitorous ut
terances are voiced at the meeting. The meeting is sched
tiled to take place on September 1st.
The object is said to be to organize the peace move
ment in the country and to bring pressure to bear upon
W ashington to withdraw America from the struggle.
Characterizing the purpose as unpatriotic under the
circumstances, Governor Burnquiest of Minnesota refused
the organization permission to meet in this state. Subse
quently, the mayor of bar go. North Dakota, refused the
organization permission to hold its session there.
URGES THAT CHRISTMAS MONEY
BE USED TO HELP ORPHANS
(Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, D. C., Aug. do. An appeal to the
American people to dispense with Christmas gifts this year
and devote the millions of dollars spent in this manner to
helping French war orphans was issued In the national com
inittee of the patriotic and defense society today. The com
mittee declares that the enormous sum America spends ev
ery year in Christmas giving would go a long way toward
rehabilitating French villages, aiding dependent relatives ol
sick and wounded soldiers of France, and -upporting French
orphans and war cripples.
The appeal is issued with the sanction of the American
government and is being received with enthusiasm all over
the nation.
The committee declares that this would be an excellent
means of repaying the debt of gratitude America owes
France for her assistance in the American war for indepen
dence and would also be the most lolty means for a people
to give expression to the Christmas spirit.
FIRE FLIES BLAMED FOR
STARTING FOREST FIRES
(Associated Tress)
EUGENE, Oregon, Aug. 2A- 1 low a leu otherwise
harmless fire flies caused the loss of millions of dollars’
worth of standing timber in central Oregon was told here
today by H. N. Mayo, the forestry lookout stationed on the
summit of Prairie mountain.
P'ire flies did not set fire to the forest, but in crawling
into the telephone generator to get out ot the cold, put the
telephone out of commission. Thus when Mayo discovered
the fire and attempted to report it to the nearest forest
ranger’s station he could not get connections.
Investigating the cause oi the “line" trouble, he ascer
tained that the fire flies were solely responsible. This
statement was made here toda\ by Mayo belore federal
agents who are investigating the report that 1. \\ . W’.’s
started some of the recent forest fires as a means of retalia
tion against the lumbermen and mill owners, who have re
fused to grant the men’s demands for an eight-hour day.
NENANA LABOR
UNION PLANS
$10,000.00 HOME
(Special to The Citizen)
NENANA, Aug. 30. -That the NV
nana Labor Union will construct a
$10,000 home here yet this fall it a
good portion of the money to pay for
it can be raised, was the announce
ment made here tonight by Jack
O'Neil, president of the union. Mr.
O'Neil made the announcement after
it was publicly announced that Mrs
James Duke had given the union one
and one-half blocks of ground for
construction purposes. No definite
plan for raising the money necessary
for the construction of a union hall
has yet been formed, although ii was
stated tonight by President O'Neil
that it will probably be secured by
bond issue if such a method is found
to meet with the approval of the
union members.
A building committee has, how
over, already made plans for a home
[01 the union. It will he a two
story structure thirty-eight by eighty
feet, un the lower floor will be a
dance hall and gymnasium, while the
upper floor will be divided off into
! lodge rooms, waiting rooms, etc.
R IX FORD IS
SOI.1)11 K NOW
Writing to friends in Fairbanks,
Ilex Ford, tlie former well known
i local prospector and miner, states
that he has enlisted in the California
field artillery . He lias enlisted, how
i ever, with the proviso that if he
[ makes the officers reserve camps,
which he evidently was trying for,
| lie will be released from service
with the artillery. Prior to enlist
ing Ford was on an extensive pros
: pel ting trip in the Nevada desert
(and also in the Death Valley country.
CARL WHITE’S LAUNCH
I,EA\ ES FAIRBANKS
EVERY TUESDAY AT ONE P. H.
WITH MAIL, PASSENGERS and EXPRESS FOR
NENANA AND BROOKS
THROUGH TRIP TO BROOKS GUARANTEED
LEAVES BROOKS FOR FAIRBANKS
SATURDAYS AT SEVEN A. N.